Thank you for picking up my novel.
The motivation behind this book is simple: a lifelong fascination with sports novels. To me, this genre offers a privileged, closer look at the raw, wonderful world of competitive sports—the strategy, the struggle, and the human drama behind the spectacle.
But when it came time to choose a subject, I faced a challenge. I've read countless stories about basketball and football; I'm well-versed in the tropes and pitfalls where characters can become "overpowered" too early, and the competitive charm of the story fades. As a creator, I needed something that felt more challenging, with a wider scope for complexity.
That's what led me to Formula 1.
While I'm not a devout follower of the sport, F1's growing international presence—amplified by series like Drive to Survive and major motion pictures—gives this subject a massive, global audience. And yes, I'll admit to following the trend of the moment, believing that this exciting platform offers the perfect canvas.
The Constructor Story
Early on, I struggled with the focus. Should it be a driver-centric story? How would I make the core 'system' work?
Then, I realized something. There are many novels about football club or basketball team ownership, but very few that dive into the high-stakes world of F1 team ownership. That decision was the catalyst for the entire book.
However, an underdog story set in the '90s, '00s, or '10s felt logically impossible. Those eras were dominated by major manufacturers with massive budgets; one-off successes like Brawn GP were too rare to build a sustainable narrative around. To make the rise of a new, competitive team logically plausible, I had to look back in time.
I went back to the late 1970s and 1980s, a breathtaking period where innovation was king. The era of the British garagiste revolutionized the landscape every season. This was a time when visionaries like Frank Williams could field a championship team in their second season, and Ron Dennis could acquire McLaren and build a dynasty. It was exciting, turbulent, and provided the perfect logical framework for an upstart team to find its footing.
The Variables of Victory
What I love about F1 is that success is never guaranteed. You can spend all the money in the world and hire the best driver, but a mechanical failure or a sudden regulatory change from the FIA can unravel everything. The number of variables is immense: engine manufacturers, tire compounds, aerodynamics, the intense dynamic between a team's first and second drivers, and the relentless annual cycle of new technologies and car upgrades. There is an endless wealth of material to explore.
So, here we are: an F1 constructor story beginning in the late 1970s.
A Promise to the Reader
The story you are starting might take some time to get the team onto the actual track. Our protagonist is still adapting to life in the 1970s, with no money and everything to build. The 1976 season offers a fantastic worldview to build the early part of the story, so please stay patient.
What I can guarantee is this: our team will race in the 1979 Formula 1 season. We will cover an F2/F3 season in between 1977 and 1978, but the team will officially join the F1 grid in '79.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Please consider adding the book to your collection—it's motivating! If you spot anything that seems illogical or factually incorrect, please let me know in the comments. And of course, your honest reviews are always appreciated.
Enjoy the race.